Page 49 of Promise You Forever

The oven timer goes off, and I pull out the pumpkin pie. It looks good, much better than I was expecting. But it smells mouthwatering.

“I’ll get out of you girls’ way but let me know if you need anything tomorrow. I’m not a great cook, but I can handle meat pretty well.”

My eyes dart to Amber’s, and I know she’s holding back athat’s what she saidjoke. Her eyes widen comically as she presses her lips together. We both burst into giggles at the same time, leaving Luke thoroughly confused.

He eyes us both like we’re lunatics, and maybe we are. The truth is that it feels so good to laugh like this. To be with my best friend, planning a meal for people who mean so much to me. I’m so glad I get to have this, even though it came at such a cost.

Thanksgiving was so fun but so much work. My parents never really planned big family dinners for the holiday, so I severely underestimated the amount of work it would take to feed eightpeople a full spread. If Amber wasn’t so excited to hit the slopes, I’d still be sleeping.

I rallied for her though, which is why I’m currently standing beside my Grandpa’s truck, sliding her skis and a pair of Gram’s that I’m going to use in the bed. Amber’s putting all the other gear in the back seat. I look up at the sound of a truck barreling toward us down the drive.

Luke throws his truck in park and jumps out, not even bothering to turn the ignition off. “What are you doing?” His gaze darts between me and skis.

“Going skiing with Amber.”

He swallows, his Adam’s apple bobbing with the motion.

“What’s wrong? Are the animals okay?”

“They’re fine.” A muscle ticks in his jaw as he looks over my shoulder. “I just saw you with the skis and?—”

“Oh. Oh!” It hits me. He’s worried about me skiing.

“Yeah.” He looks like he’s fighting an internal battle with himself. “I know I don’t have any right to say this.” He clenches his hands and takes a step away from me.

“What?” I step closer to him, the urge to wrap my arms around him and comfort him is riding me hard.

I see the moment his resolve snaps, and he steps forward, cupping both my cheeks with his palms. His thumbs run over my cheek bones as if I’m some beloved, fragile belonging of his. “Please be careful. I wouldn’t survive if something happened to you.”

I put my hands over his and look up into his tormented azure eyes as my heart squeezes. “I will be. I’m not even a great skier, I max out on blue runs.”

He gives a pained chuckle. “I don’t know if that makes me feel better or worry even more.” He rests his forehead against mine. “Have fun but come back to me.”

“I will.” I brush his lips with mine ever so lightly.

He groans. “I’m going to be a mess. Text me when you’re done skiing?”

I nod. “Trust me that I’ll be safe. I have baby goats to raise.”

“Kids.”

“What?”

“Baby goats are called kids.”

“Oh, well in that case, I have kids to raise because we all know that hussy Blanche will be out in the streets in no time.”

It’s a weak joke, but he laughs regardless. He walks around the side of the truck and opens the driver side door for me.

“You two be safe,” he says as he closes the door.

Amber somehow doesn’t say a word until we’re on the highway. “Are you going to explain that interaction?”

“He’s just worried about us skiing because of what happened to Amy.”

“I’m not sure he’s as worried about me as he is about you.” She gives me a sidelong look. “Did you kiss him?”

“No, we were just close while he talked to me.”

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